Tell Lake County Commissioners Not to Segregate Books

Two mothers in Lake County, Florida, Dixie Fechtel and Diane Venetta, have asked the Board of County Commissioners to request that the Lake County Library System label and segregate young adult books that refer to illegal acts or contain "inappropriate" content. They have enlisted the help of the ultra-conservative Liberty Counsel, a legal organization that champions cases "impacting religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family."

Labeling of books based on "inappropriate" content is subjective and imposes certain people's view of what is "appropriate" on others. It takes away from parents the right to determine for themselves what is appropriate reading for their children.


Most libraries, in Florida and elsewhere, separate books by reading ability--children's, young adult, adult--but not by "appropriateness" of content. Lake County Library Services Director Tom Merchant has told School Library Journal, "Our policy clearly states that it's a parent's responsibility to review what their child is checking out. It's not our role to impose one group of parents' idea on all children in the library."

Please urge the Lake County Board of County Commissioners not to allow the labeling and segregation of books as requested by Dixie Fechtel and Diane Venetta.

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